David Arquette Tells Oprah He Hopes to Reconcile with Courteney

Troubled actor David Arquette told Oprah Winfrey on Thursday that he hopes one day to get back together with estranged wife Courteney Cox, especially now that he’s undergone rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addictions.

Arquette, 39, proved himself a worthy guest of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” in the show’s capacity for occasionally serving as a nationally televised confessional for wayward celebrities hoping to repair their tattered images by coming clean to Winfrey, who plays the role of celebrity therapist.

In fact, Arquette was a replacement guest of sorts for another celeb with an image problem – NFL star quarterback Michael Vick, who was imprisoned following his conviction on animal cruelty charges. Vick recently backed out of an agreed-upon interview with Oprah and the Arquette show was scheduled in his place.

“We truly love each other with all our hearts,” Arquette said of Cox, to whom he was married for about 11 years before they separated last fall. Arquette told Oprah he’s been sober since Dec. 30, which was around the time he made the decision to enter a 28-day rehab program. Among those urging him to go: His estranged wife Courteney and one of his sisters, “Medium” star Patricia Arquette.

Their intervention was just what he needed, said Arquette, who revealed the details of a lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse. He told Oprah he had his first taste of beer at age 4 and began experimenting with marijuana at age 8 after he stole some from his own father. He began drinking in earnest at age 12, which means his current stretch of sobriety is his first in nearly 30 years.

He said he’s dealing with his new-found sobriety by meditating and undergoing therapy. “I’m being responsible,” he said. “I’m finally authentic.”

And he still holds out hope that his relationship with his wife can improve and even prosper. He said Courteney has “been incredibly supportive. … She’s my best friend,” he said, “and I love her with all my heart.”